NBC's Fall 2008-09 TV premiere schedule

For all those that like to know how things will be scheduled this fall and when your favorite NBC show will return, here is the official press release on that very subject.

The two items of note to me: The laughing I still do at Knight Rider making it to a full series (although there is some hope) and the SNL Thursday Night Live edition delaying my beloved 30 Rock by three weeks. Also, I’m looking forward to a second season of Life.
Here is the full release, along with the schedule below it:

—

The announcements were made by Ben Silverman, Co-Chairman, NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios.

On April 2, NBC previously announced Fall, Winter and Summer nightly schedules for the 2008-09 broadcast year, allowing the advertisers to plan their media strategies for the 52-week schedule.

The eagerly anticipated return of “Heroes” launches with three hours in primetime on Monday, September 22 (8-9 p.m. ET) with an hour-long compilation show that will lead into a spectacular all new, two-hour premiere (9-11 p.m. ET). Second-year drama “Chuck,” starring Zachary Levi as an unlikely security risk, returns on Monday, September 29 (8-9 p.m. ET) preceding the series premiere of the new drama “My Own Worst Enemy” (10-11 p.m. ET), starring Christian Slater as a seemingly simple man with a radically split personality.

The new comedy “Kath & Kim,” starring Molly Shannon and Selma Blair, joins the comedy block on Thursdays, beginning October 9 (9:30-10 p.m. ET). The series is based on the most successful comedy in Australia of the same name. An expanded two-hour edition of “The Biggest Loser: Families” (8-10 p.m. ET) will air on Tuesdays, after “America’s Got Talent” concludes its run.

Also new to the Fall schedule is “America’s Toughest Jobs” (previously announced for Summer 2009), a new extreme competition series from creator/executive producer Thom Beers (“Ice Road Truckers”) and executive producers Gail Berman and Lloyd Braun. The series will debut with a two-hour episode on Friday, September 12 (8-10 p.m. ET) and return the next week at 8-9 p.m. (ET) for five weeks before resuming from 9-10 p.m. (ET) beginning October 24.

“Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (10-11 p.m. ET) will round out the night with its 10th season premiere beginning September 23.

The new drama “Knight Rider” (8-9 p.m. ET) will kick off Wednesdays starting September 24 followed by the dramedy “Lipstick Jungle,” starring Brooke Shields, Kim Raver and Lindsay Price, which returns for its second season on the same night (10-11 p.m. ET). NBC’s hit game show “Deal or No Deal” also returns with fresh episodes on Wednesdays after “America’s Got Talent” concludes.

Thursday night comedy favorites return with a one-hour premiere of the fourth season of “My Name Is Earl” on September 25 (8-9 p.m. ET) followed by the one-hour season premiere of the Emmy Award-winning “The Office” (9-10 p.m. ET). “ER” begins its 15th and final season on Thursday, September 25 (10-11 p.m. ET). The new comedy “Kath & Kim,” starring Molly Shannon and Selma Blair premieres Thursday, October 9 (9:30-10 p.m. ET) and the Emmy-winning “30 Rock,” starring Tina Fey (“Baby Mama”) and Emmy winner Alec Baldwin, begins its third season on Thursday, October 30 (8:30-9 p.m. ET).

Preceding the premiere of “30 Rock” will be three consecutive weekly “Saturday Night Live” special election editions of “SNL Thursday Night Live” (8:30-9 p.m. ET) on Thursday, October 9, 16 and 23.

“Life” resumes its second season on Friday, October 3 (10-11 p.m. ET) in the drama starring Damian Lewis as a wrongly imprisoned police detective who returns to the force searching for justice. “Crusoe,” the action-adventure, contemporary re-telling of the classic Daniel Defoe novel “Robinson Crusoe,” will debut on in a special two-hour premiere on Friday, October 17 (8-10 p.m. ET). “America’s Toughest Jobs” will air in its regularly scheduled timeslot (8-9 p.m. ET) on Fridays leading up to the premiere of “Crusoe.”

Following is NBC’s Fall 2008-09 premiere schedule (all times ET):

*New programs in UPPER CASE (with the exception of “ER”)

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12

“AMERICA’S TOUGHEST JOBS” Series premiere (8-10 p.m.) Returns on September 19 (8-9 p.m.) for five weeks; then resumes from 9-10 p.m. on October 24

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 22

“Heroes” clip show (8-9 p.m.) Season premiere (9-11 p.m.)

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23

“Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (10-11 p.m.)

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24

“KNIGHT RIDER” (8-9 p.m.)

“Lipstick Jungle (10-11 p.m.)

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25

“My Name Is Earl” — one-hour premiere (8-9 p.m.)

“The Office” — one-hour premiere (9-10 p.m.)

“ER” (10-11 p.m.)

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 29

“Chuck” — (8-9 p.m.)

“MY OWN WORST ENEMY” — (10-11 p.m.)

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3

“Life” — (10-11 p.m.)

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9

“KATH & KIM” (9:30-10 p.m.)

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17

“CRUSOE” — two-hour premiere (8-10 p.m.)

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30

“30 Rock” — (8:30-9 p.m.)