NBC has now announced the latest additions to their programming line-up for the 2011/2012 television season.
To spice things up, I’m also putting down my predictions of which channel each show will end up being picked up by later this year.
Guide to genres: Comedy, Drama, Sci-Fi, Reality, Adventure/History, Action, Thriller, Animation
Prime Suspect
An adaptation of the British series of the same name, this series will follow in its footsteps. The UK series is based around various police themes per episode, with 2 episodes in each season, with each episode running for up to 207 minutes in length.
Prediction: TV One, no doubt.
Playboy Club
This series, as you can probably guess, is based around the employees of the first Playboy club established in Chicago, set in 1963.
Prediction: FOUR, especially after C4 used to play Girls of the Playboy Mansion.
Smash
Starring Debra Messing (who you may remember from Will and Grace and The Starter Wife), this series focuses on a group of people coming together to compose a Broadway musical about the life of Marilyn Munroe.
Prediction: TV One or TV3, because of their performance oriented background (like Glee and TV One’s screening of the movie Chicago).
Awake
This is a series I am very interested in – it starts Jason Issacs, who regains consciousness after a fatal car crash that kills his wife, to be told his son has survived. However, when he wakes up the next morning, it turns out his son has died and wife survived. Therefore, he must keep up with two alternate and differing realities to keep both of them alive.
Prediction: TV3.
The Firm
An adaptation of John Grisham’s well-known book The Firm for television. Looks pretty good!
Prediction: TV3 or TV One.
Whitney
Comedy about a woman who showcases pretty much every quality under the sun – abrasive yet friendly, quirky yet ordinary, you get the gist.
Prediction: TV3 or FOUR.
Up All Night
A show about a couple trying to balance their home lives with their work lives, after the introduction of a new family member. Set to compete with ABC’s The Middle. Starring Christina Applegate and Will Arnett, among others.
Prediction: TV2 or FOUR.
Best Friends Forever
A comedy about, as you may have guessed, best friends. That’s all I can really ascertain about this new show. But look who’s in the cast – Lennon Parham from Accidentally on Purpose. Oh how I miss that show.
Prediction: FOUR
Bent
A romantic comedy about a wife who wants a fresh start by hiring a construction worker to re-model her house. As you may have guessed, they start falling for one another. One of the first things I noticed from the teaser image was the lead female – Amanda Peet – and the lead male – it’s Marco from The Loop! As you can probably tell by now, I love The Loop. Also appearing is Ben from Reaper and the father from Arrested Development.
Prediction: TV3 or FOUR.
Grimm
This show looks to be taking a page from the book of Pushing Daises with it’s dark outlook – although let’s hope it doesn’t suffer the same fate. A new series based upon, as you may guessed, the tales from the Brothers Grimm. The episodes center around these being warnings and precursors for very grim events indeed.
Predictions: Like Pushing Daises, I’d say TV2.
Free Agents
Starring Hank Azaria (The Simpsons), Kathryn Hahn and Anthony Head, this story centers around a seemingly deprived workplace that kisses and tells, and two employees who were made for each other – a guy who is just as deprived as his work, and a girl who just plain isn’t. Looks great!
Predictions: TV2.
Are You There Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea
When I first heard of this show, I instantly assumed it would feature Chelsea Handler in the lead role, and be a sort of talk show. I wasn’t far off the mark – it’s based on a book she wrote. It features Laura Prepon (That 70′s Show 
in the lead role. Looks to be a hit, taking a leaf from the life of the author I assume.
Prediction: TV2 or TV3, late night.
The new season of television usually kicks off in September, so expect these to hit New Zealand television screens early in 2012, with announcements made on which New Zealand TV channels are picking up what in a few months.
Image Credit: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/3/3f/NBC_logo.svg/500px-NBC_logo.svg.png
