A key factor behind Chuck's return has been the excellent Save Chuck fan campaign, particularly how fans rallied to support Subway (a key sponsor of the show.) Indeed, NBC and Subway appear to have struck a deal, so when Chuck returns expect Subway to feature heavily in promotions (during commercial breaks and perhaps even on-screen.) It is also rumoured that the expected budget cut and reduction to 13 episodes could be overturned because of this lucrative partnership, meaning Chuck may continue into the summer months of 2010. Other mentionable decisions and confirmations, to me:
Heroes returns on Mondays @9pm, The Jay Leno Show has a weekday spot @8pm, the small-screen adaptation of Parenthood is on Wednesdays @9pm, post-apocalyptic drama Day One grabs Mondays @9pm (competing against Fox' 24) when it premieres midseason (Feb '10), and new comedy Community will debut on Thursdays @9.30pm, but move to 8:30pm by midseason.
The full schedule, as a press release, is below:
*New programs in UPPER CASE
MONDAY
8-9 p.m. - "Heroes"
9-10 p.m.-"TRAUMA"
10-11 p.m. - "THE JAY LENO SHOW"
TUESDAY
8-10 p.m. - "The Biggest Loser" (two-hour edition)
10-11 p.m. - "THE JAY LENO SHOW"
WEDNESDAY
8-9 p.m. - "PARENTHOOD"
9-10 p.m. - "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit"
10-11 p.m. - "THE JAY LENO SHOW"
THURSDAY
8- 8:30 p.m. - "SNL WEEKEND UPDATE THURSDAY" (multi-episode run)
8:30-9 p.m. - "Parks and Recreation"
9- 9:30 p.m. - "The Office"
9:30-10 p.m. - "COMMUNITY" (moves to Thursdays 8-8:30 p.m. after multi-episode run "30 Rock" returns)
10-11 p.m. - "THE JAY LENO SHOW"
FRIDAY
8-9 p.m. - "Law & Order"
9-10 p.m. - "Southland"
10-11 p.m. - "THE JAY LENO SHOW"
SATURDAY
8-9 p.m. - "Dateline NBC"
9-10 p.m. - "TRAUMA" (encore broadcast)
10-11 p.m. - "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (encore broadcast)
SUNDAY
7- 8:20 p.m. "Football Night in America"
8:20-11 p.m. "NBC Sunday Night Football"
NBC MID-SEASON 2010 SCHEDULE
(2010 WINTER OLYMPICS preempt regularly scheduled programming from February 12-28, 2010)
MONDAY
8-9 p.m. - "Chuck" (season premiere)
9-10 p.m.-"DAY ONE"
10-11 p.m. - "THE JAY LENO SHOW"
TUESDAY
8-9:30 p.m. - "The Biggest Loser" (90-minute edition)
9:30-10 p.m. - "100 QUESTIONS"
10-11 p.m. - "THE JAY LENO SHOW"
WEDNESDAY
8-9 p.m. - "MERCY"
9-10 p.m. - "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit"
10-11 p.m. - "THE JAY LENO SHOW"
THURSDAY
8- 8:30 p.m. - "COMMUNITY"
8:30-9 p.m. - "Parks and Recreation"
9- 9:30 p.m. - "The Office"
9:30-10 p.m. - "30 Rock"
10-11 p.m. - "THE JAY LENO SHOW"
FRIDAY
8-9 p.m. - "Law & Order"
9-10 p.m. - "Southland"
10-11 p.m. - "THE JAY LENO SHOW"
SATURDAY
8-9 p.m. - "Dateline NBC"
9-10 p.m. - "Southland" (encore broadcast)
10-11 p.m. - "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (encore broadcast)
SUNDAY
7-8 p.m. - "Dateline NBC"
8-9 p.m. - THE MARRIAGE REF
9-11 p.m. - "The Celebrity Apprentice" (season premiere; two-hour edition)
