NBC Announces 2009 Fall Premiere Dates

NBC kicks off the Fall 2009 season on Monday, September 14 with the highly anticipated primetime debut of The Jay Leno Show (10:00 PM/ET), followed by the premiere of the network’s marquee night of comedy on Thursday, September 17, as Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday and new series Community join Parks and Recreation and Emmy winner The Office.

NBC’s dramas will premiere with a two-hour Heroes on Monday, September 21 (8:00 PM/ET), the compelling family drama Parenthood premieres on Wednesday, September 23 (8:00 PM/ET) leading into Law & Order: SVU (9:00 PM/ET). The new high-octane Trauma will premiere the following Monday, September 28 (9:00 PM/ET).

Emmy winner 30 Rock returns to the Thursday comedy line-up on October 15 (9:30 PM/ET).

In addition, Saturday Night Live returns for its 35th season on September 26 (11:30 PM/ET).

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

“NBC is proud to present more hours of comedy programming this fall than any other network with the ‘The Jay Leno Show’ each night at 10 p.m. and ‘Community’ joining the award-winning Thursday line-up,” said Silverman. “We’re also excited about adding two new dramas to our strong slate of quality returning shows.”

The Jay Leno Show, the first-ever entertainment program to be stripped across primetime on broadcast network television, launches on Monday, September 14 (10:00 PM/ET) and will showcase many of the features that have made Leno America’s late-night leader for more than a dozen years.

On Tuesday, September 15 (8:00 PM/ET), The Biggest Loser returns with all new two-hour episodes, featuring more inspiration and real-life drama as this season’s contestants challenge themselves to reach their weight-loss goals.

Thursday is comedy night on NBC with the only live comedy show between 8:00-10:00 PM/ET on any network, Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday, kicking off the night (8:00 PM/ET) beginning September 17, followed by Parks and Recreation (8:30 PM/ET), The Office (9:00 PM/ET) and new comedy Community (9:30 PM/ET) from Emmy winners Joe and Anthony Russo. Community focuses on a band of community college misfits, led by a fast-talking lawyer (Joel McHale), who form a study group and end up learning more about themselves than their coursework.

On October 8, Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday will exit the 8:00 PM/ET slot and Community will shift to the earlier time period, followed by Parks and Recreation (8:30 PM/ET). A one-hour episode of The Office will air from 9:00 PM/ET. On October 15, Emmy winner 30 Rock will launch its fourth season in the show’s regular slot on Thursdays, 9:30 PM/ET.

NBC’s dramas return with a two-hour episode of viewer favorite Heroes (8:00 PM/ET) on Monday, September 21. The following Monday, September 28, Heroes will continue in its 8:00 PM/ET time period followed by Trauma (9:00 PM/ET), the new adrenalin-rush action drama from executive producer Peter Berg that tracks a team of first-responder paramedics from San Francisco General as they face extreme conditions to save the lives of strangers and give meaning to their own in the process.

Parenthood, from Imagine Entertainment’s Ron Howard and Brian Grazer and writer/executive producer Jason Katims, premieres on Wednesday, September 23 (8:00 PM/ET). The series, which features an all-star cast including Peter Krause, Maura Tierney, Dax Shepard, Craig T. Nelson, Bonnie Bedelia, Monica Potter and Erika Christensen, tells the story of four grown siblings sharing the headaches, heartaches and unexpected joys of being a parent. Following “Parenthood” on Wednesdays is Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (9:00 PM/ET), beginning its eleventh season on September 23.

Fridays, beginning September 25, the venerable Law & Order (8:00 PM/ET) returns for a record 20th season, followed by the acclaimed drama Southland (9:00 PM/ET).

Beginning September 26, Saturdays in primetime will be a showcase for Dateline NBC (8:00 PM/ET) and encore presentations of Trauma (9:00 PM/ET) and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (10:00 PM/ET).

Football Night in America (7:00 PM/ET) and NBC Sunday Night Football (8:15 PM/ET) – the number one show of the fall – will return on Sundays, beginning September 13 with a classic match-up: the Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers.

Following is the NBC primetime schedule for 2009-2010:

Fall 2009 Primetime Schedule

September 13
Football Night in America, 7:00 PM/ET
NBC Sunday Night Football, 8:15 PM/ET

September 14
The Jay Leno Show, 10:00 PM/ET

September 15
The Biggest Loser, 8:00 PM/ET

September 17
Saturday Night Live Weekend Update, 8:00 PM/ET
Parks and Recreation, 8:30 PM/ET
The Office, 9:00 PM/ET
Community [moves to 8:00 PM/ET October 8], 9:30 PM/ET

September 21
Heroes, 8:00 PM/ET

September 23
Parenthood, 8:00 PM/ET
Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, 9:00 PM/ET

September 25
Law and Order, 8:00 PM/ET
Southland, 9:00 PM/ET

September 26
Dateline NBC, 8:00 PM/ET
Trauma, 9:00 PM/ET
Law and Order: Special Victims Unit [repeat], 10:00 PM/ET
Saturday Night Live, 11:30 PM/ET

September 28
Trauma, 9:00 PM/ET

October 15
30 Rock, 9:30 PM/ET